The Visibility of Evolution

The Visibility of Evolution in our World

Over the past 150 years modern science has changed the world. We have moved from knowledge of electricity to electronics and from the airplane to moon landings and drones.

Humans have changed the face of the planet. Darwin gave us The Origin of Species and we have some clear ideas how man has changed, developed and transformed over large periods of time in a bio-physiological way. Let us be clear, however, that Darwin dealt only with human physical evolution. He did not deal with our spiritual changes or possibilities.

It is very difficult for us who are living through some of the most extensive changes in human history to get a clear picture of what is moving around and within us. However, recently The Christian Science Monitor ran an issue that explained the way Americans have publicly protested from 1968 to 2018.

The huge change over that 50 year period was stunning and pointed out, not only the striking difference in public thought process, but also underscored the mental and emotional progress Americans have made in learning to deal more openly with serious social problems, that in some way affect us all.

These problems include racism, gender issues, the United States government separating parents from their children, immigration policy, the plight of economically marginalized communities, climate change and many more. The same problems of 1968 continue in 2018. The difference is the way we think about the issues and how we fight them in 2018.

The 1960s was one of the stormiest decades in American history. There was social unrest over the injustices of racism, questions arising from gender issues and the problem of right governance came to be the focuses of a troubled society.

1968 made its ways into history books with progressive crusades related to race, mass incarceration and the way the U.S. governs its people. The problem in both 1968 and 2018 is that the problem is systemic. In 1968 we suffered from myopic vision and couldn’t yet see that the problem was and continues to be systemic.

Even though in fifty years we have moved on to a clearer understanding of what the people want: in the area of racism we have moved on from the need for proper recognition to better and more honest demonstration of care in the public sector.

America is an idealistic nation and we believe here in America that in spite of current problems there is hope that in the future we can and will solve these problems.

However, if that is to happen we have to look to the whole system, which is unusually hard for Americans to do.

Our tradition of dissent and demonstration is short because we lack the mental determination to move beyond sheer aggravation and complaint to making workable plans for principled proposals for a future in which we, as a united people, move beyond rank emotions of negativity, despair and hopelessness.

For this to happen we must realize that we have to use a new and unused part of ourselves, the part that knows and experiences joy. That is what democracy was made for. Perhaps we have to learn that each one of us has it in us to incandesce that joy, with an enthusiastic attitude and a willingness to uncover and use the creative ideas waiting in the wings and carried within us.

Evolution has been recognized and noted here. In this infinitely small increment of time we have experienced change in areas of human life that really matter to a lot of people. We have also found that as a people we have to keep on speaking out, demonstrating, and holding meetings where issues can be discussed.

This last fifty years has spotlighted the fact that our minds and emotions can also change. That is the big thing necessary to make planetary change truly significant and the signpost on the road to higher evolution.

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The Christian Science Monitor Weekly, Jessica Mendoza, July 30, 2018, p.5, 24-30

All rights reserved. 2019 Rebecca Field